USB 3G/4G router setup

Below we briefly outline how to setup our 3G/4G USB router for use with a CANedge2 configured to use the S3 interface.

Setup your 3G/4G USB router

  1. Before starting, ensure that your CANedge2 is updated to FW 01.06.04+[1]
  2. Insert your nano SIM card into the small slot in the USB stick
  3. Power the USB hotspot by inserting it into your PC - the blue LED should come on
  4. Via your PC, connect to the hotspot SSID 4G-UFI-XXXX with password 12345678
  5. Access the settings by entering 192.168.0.1 in your browser (user: admin, password: admin)
  6. If you see “No service”, click Security/PIN Management and remove your SIM’s PIN code[5]
  7. Generally, remember to click “Apply” after performing changes
  8. Change the SSID name & pass under Settings/WLAN/WLAN Basic Settings
  9. Click the connect button on the Home page and verify that it stays connected[2]
  10. Test that you can browse the internet via your laptop when connected via the hotspot
  11. Test that you can still connect via the hotspot after power cycling it a few times
  12. Use the editor to add your new SSID/password in your CANedge2 Configuration File
  13. If relevant, turn on the 2nd port ‘power out’ in the Configuration File with a daily power cycle [3]
  14. Test that the CANedge2 is able to connect to the hotspot and your server[4]

Note

Some SIM card providers will by default block high speed data transfer. If you experience upload speed issues, we recommend contacting your SIM card provider to ensure that you are getting the highest possible upload speed

Note for users in USA

For US users, we recommend Soracom as data provider with this hotspot based on experience.

To use Soracom, go to Settings/Dial-up/Profile Management/New Profile.

Here, create a new profile (do not use the existing one) and add the below:

  • Profile name: MySoracomProfile
  • APN: soracom.io
  • User name: sora
  • Password: sora

As above, test that the hotspot retains internet connection across a number of power cycles.

Regarding log file split size

For 3G/4G transfer, we generally recommend to reduce the log file size to e.g. 5-10 MB (rather than the default 50 MB). The CANedge2 does not currently support ‘resumable uploads’ so if the transfer fails mid-transfer (e.g. due to temporary lack of coverage), the file transfer will start over when the device regains connectivity. Thus, to minimize wasted data and ensure steady throughput, a lower split size is recommended. Once the data is on your server, you can use various tools to concatenate the log files (e.g. asammdf, our Python API etc).

Regarding TLS FW issue

The 3G/4G router will work well for regular HTTP data transfer (the default mode of the CANedge2). However, the current router firmware (v4.2) has a bug that causes TLS (HTTPS) transfer from to not work. As we cannot guarantee if this will be resolved by the router manufacturer, we recommend to not enable TLS when using this router and instead use data encryption on the CANedge2.

[1]Firmware 01.06.04 adds a compatibility fix for the latest USB hotspot models
[5]The hotspot requires that you manually enter the PIN code on each power cycle, effectively implying that you cannot use a SIM card with PIN code if your goal is to deploy the hotspot standalone in the field with a CANedge2
[2]In some cases it is necessary to update the APN info in the hotspot settings under Profile Management (create a new profile when doing so). After updating your settings, it may be necessary to power cycle the hotspot and wait for 1-2 minutes.
[3]If you’re powering the USB hotspot via the CANedge2 2nd port, we recommend to set the power schedule to From: 00:00 and To: 23:59. This ensures the hotspot is power cycled daily, which is recommended.
[4]If you’re powering the USB hotspot via the CANedge2 2nd port, the total setup consumes up to 4 W (CANedge2: 1W, hotspot: 1-3W). Practically all in-field applications (cars, trucks, …) support this, but an office power supply might not. If you experience issues with your upload tests, try powering the hotspot separately (e.g. from a USB adapter or your laptop).